Since I haven't read the Shannara series I'm not familiar with this universe or what it's about exactly, but just judging from the trailers and description alone it is definitely a high fantasy series with plenty of rich world-building and characters. If this does well, I have a feeling it may be the answer to those looking for a Game of Thrones replacement. Despite it being on MTV, which understandably may repel some people, just seeing the trailers and behind the scenes stuff alone shows that they've given The Shannara Chronicles quite a large budget to produce. Granted a big budget doesn't always equal quality, but since it looks like a fantasy version of The 100 it may pleasantly surprise people. Plus it was filmed in New Zealand, which is considerably a good sign when you take into account the other epic fantasy films and series that have been filmed there (see: Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Legend of the Seeker, Xena: Warrior Princess). If this gains popularity, hopefully there will be more fantasy series along this vein. I miss having some epic fantasy and even lighthearted fantasy shows on television. When you have a mixture of the two, or something that holds strong in its own storytelling, adapted or not, it can become something great. Not everything has to be "darker and edgier" in order to be taken seriously or be considered good storytelling.

It's kind of depressing that there isn't any fantasy on television these days, and the only one that is well-known in recent years is Game of Thrones, which definitely isn't for everyone for many reasons. I just want more fun fantasy genres back on my screen again.